On the Prowl

by Matt Lincoln

  Even though I’d showered that morning, falling asleep on the couch under the heavy blanket had caused me to sweat in my sleep, and since I didn’t really like the idea of sitting on a plane for almost a full day all sticky and gross, I decided to take another one before heading out again. As I was waiting for the water to warm up, I checked my phone again for any new texts or emails. There was a text from Fiona wishing me luck on my mission and letting me know that she was forwarding all the information she had compiled regarding the case to me in an email. That meant that I should probably bring my computer with me. I hadn’t planned on it, but when I thought about it, it probably would be a good idea to go over the details of the case more closely before I got to Greece.

  After I’d finished showering and getting changed, it was still a little before four, but I decided to head down to the airport, anyway. I didn’t have anything better to do, and just sitting around waiting was making me anxious. I ended up getting to the airport a little earlier than I needed to, but now that I was there, I could feel myself getting excited. All the restless energy that had been keeping me awake morphed quickly into frenetic excitement, and I smiled as I pored over the details of the case while I waited for boarding time.

  27

  Junior

  I woke up feeling like I had a hangover. There was a dull ache in my head, my tongue felt swollen and dry, and the bright lights of the room felt painful against my eyes. My first thought was that I must have gone out drinking and blacked out. I was terrible at holding my liquor, and it didn’t take much for me to get drunk. I was in the middle of hoping that I hadn’t done anything too humiliating, or worse, illegal, in my inebriated state, when I finally registered my surroundings and realized I was in a hospital room. My first instinct was to panic, but then the events of the previous day came rushing back in disjointed pieces.

  I remembered going down to the cargo area of the cruise ship and being attacked by one of the men. I thought I remembered his name being Galanis. After that, my memory was fuzzy until much later on a different boat. It was the ferry, I thought. We’d received intel that Galanis had a family member working on it who may have been aiding with the smuggling.

  I could remember going down into the ferry while it was sinking, the water level up to our chests. We’d managed to rescue a crate full of baby animals, but then the suspect attacked Agent Hills and knocked him into the water. No, that wasn’t right. Agent Hills was in the water before we got to the crate.

  I put my head in my hands and pressed against my temples, sighing as the pressure relieved some of the dull ache. It really did feel like I’d gotten drunk and blacked out. The bits and pieces of the day before were there in my head, but they were all jumbled and out of order, like a mixed-up jigsaw puzzle missing several pieces. My head began to throb harder, and I suspected that the stress of not being able to remember was causing my blood pressure to rise.

  I sank back against the pillows and took several deep breaths. Getting worked up would only make my headache worse and make it even more difficult to remember. I needed to calm down if I wanted to make any progress.

  “Hey, you’re awake!” I heard a voice to my right and turned my head to see Hills coming into the room. “It’s already noon. I was wondering how long you planned to be out.”

  “How long have I been here?” I asked, slowly sitting up and taking care not to jostle myself in a way that would amplify my headache.

  “Since around six yesterday,” Hills said, dropping a paper bag onto the table beside my hospital bed. Whatever was in the bag smelled good. It was savory and rich, like grilled meat. “Do you remember what happened?”

  “Bits and pieces,” I said, bringing my hand up to massage my temple again. “The last thing I remember is bringing that crate full of leopard cubs up. At least, I think that’s the last thing I remember. It’s hard to tell honestly.”

  Hills hesitated for a moment, and it seemed as though there was something he wanted to say but wasn’t sure how to say it.

  “You don’t remember the second crate?” He finally asked, pulling a chair close to the side of the bed and taking a seat on it.

  Now that he mentioned it, I did. There had been two crates down in the cargo area with that strange flower symbol on them. I could only remember bringing up one of them.

  “No,” I answered honestly, dread pooling in the pit of my stomach as Hills’s face darkened at my answer. “What happened?”

  Hills sighed and dragged a hand over his face, his expression darkening even further as he grimaced in what looked like anger.

  “By the time we got that first crate out, the ferry was too far underwater,” he said, and the ugly feeling in my stomach grew more intense. “It was starting to break apart, and it was too unstable for us to go back on. We called in a special diving crew to dredge up the crate as quickly as they could. They went as fast as they could. It wasn’t even an hour later that they were back, but… it was just too late. The bird that was in the crate drowned when it filled with water.”

  “Damn,” I said uncharacteristically before I could think better of it. Hills seemed surprised too, as his eyes widened a fraction, but he didn’t say anything.

  It was frustrating to hear that we’d been unable to save the bird, but it was even more frustrating that I couldn’t remember any of this happening. I hated the helpless feeling of not being able to recall my own memories, and I had to remind myself again to keep calm, knowing that getting upset would only worsen the pain radiating from the base of my skull and beneath my eye.

  “Then, all of a sudden, you fell over and hit your head again,” Hills said. “It’s no wonder you can’t remember anything with the number of times your brain must have bounced off the side of your skull.”

  I could tell that Hills was trying to add some levity to the situation, so I gave him a weak smile, but I still couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling that came with being completely in the dark about my own actions.

  “Anyway, I got us some lunch. Well, breakfast for you, I guess,” Hills said, reaching into the paper bag and pulling out two individually wrapped tubes of food. “They’re called gyros. Like a cross between a sandwich and a burrito.” He handed me one of the tube-shaped foods, and a glance inside the wrapping revealed a generous helping of steak, tomatoes, onions, and, surprisingly, french fries, all wrapped inside a thick, warm flat bread. As the smell of the meat hit me, I suddenly became aware of how hungry I was. It wasn’t surprising, considering I hadn’t eaten anything since the olive-covered pizza at the hotel.

  We ate in comfortable silence, and I had almost finished my gyro when the door swung open, and a tall man in a white coat stepped inside.

  “Oh, I’m glad to see you’re awake,” the man said. Judging by his coat and the tablet he was holding under one arm, I assumed he was the doctor handling my care. “And Agent Hills is here too. Excellent, so I’ll only have to say this once.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled, and his demeanor was so calm and friendly that I instantly felt comfortable in his presence.

  “Fortunately, all the tests have come back clear, and there is nothing to worry about,” he said, eyeing the empty paper bag on the table. “Most likely, you just had a mild concussion made worse from overexertion and malnutrition. I understand that you agents are extremely busy, but it is important to ensure that you are taking care of your health, especially if you are engaging in high-stress and physically strenuous activity. Subsisting on street food and snacks for the entirety of your stay in Greece is very likely to land you in the hospital again.”

  He shifted his weight and continued. “Now, Agent Chapman, we are prescribing you some painkillers that will help with the pain I am sure you are feeling in your head. They will not make you drowsy or dizzy, but it is important that you eat before taking them.”

  “So, I can continue working, right?” I asked. “They won’t make me drowsy, so I should be fine to continue the mission?” The doctor looked as if he wanted to prote
st but merely sighed.

  “It is my strong recommendation that you should avoid stressful situations for some time,” he replied hesitantly. “The only treatment for a concussion is rest.”

  “But I can work, as long as I don’t do anything strenuous, right?” I asked again. The doctor sighed, knowing as well as I did that there really was no way for a federal agent to avoid stressful situations.

  “Yes,” he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. “You are being discharged today and can resume working so long as you take care to avoid situations that may cause you undue stress.”

  “Great, I can definitely do that,” I lied, flashing him a smile that felt fake even to me.

  “I’ll get a nurse to prepare some discharge paperwork for you then,” the doctor said before turning and leaving the room again.

  “I’m sorry, are you still having brain issues?” I heard Hills say as I gingerly stood up to collect my clothes from a chair at the end of the room. “Because you still seem to be having some problems making logical decisions. You had a concussion. You literally slept for, like, eighteen hours. You don’t have to rush right back into the action.”

  “Says the guy who gets all bent out of shape every time Wallace tells him to stop working and go home?” I said, turning to look at him. “Look, I’m fine. Sitting around at the hotel while you go investigate on your own isn’t going to do either of us any good. I’m perfectly alert now, so-”

  “I won’t be alone,” Hills said, cutting me off. “Castillo’s on her way. Nelson came up with a plan to infiltrate the ferries and break into the smuggler’s base of operations, and he’s sending Castillo over to help since you were in the hospital.”

  “Well, I’m leaving the hospital now. I’ll call Nelson and tell him I can assist on the mission,” I said, feeling a little hurt that they had replaced me so easily and hating how childish I was for feeling that way.

  Hills looked like he was about to argue for a moment but then just snorted out a laugh, moving to stand up.

  “You know, I can’t really blame you for not wanting to sit around while everyone else gets to do all the fun stuff. I’d probably be acting the same exact way,” he said, crumpling up the paper bag he’d brought the food in and dropping it into the small trash can by the door. “I’ll give you a minute to change and then fill you in on the details of the mission.” He left the room then, closing the door behind him.

  A few hours later, after I’d had a chance to shower and change into a set of clean clothes at the hotel and we’d gotten around to picking up my prescription, we headed to a small bistro just a few blocks away from the hotel. There, I could have something to eat with my medicine while we went over the details of the plan.

  “So, you and Agent Castillo were each going to infiltrate one of the ferries, then meet back up in order to tackle the main hub together?” I asked Hills, taking a bite of the casserole on my plate. It was a traditional Greek dish, grilled fish with a side of Moussaka, which was a kind of baked casserole made with ground beef and eggplant. It was pretty good, and the doctor had emphasized the importance of making sure I had plenty to eat before taking the medications he’d prescribed.

  “Yeah, that’s about the gist of it,” he said. “We thought about going ahead and infiltrating the main base today, but we worried that if someone got away, they’d be able to warn one of the smugglers on the ferry the way Galanis did. And we really didn’t want a repeat of yesterday.”

  “What if it happens the other way around?” I asked. “Like, what if someone on one of the ferries alerts Lucas to what’s happening, and he flees?”

  Hills chewed thoughtfully. “Yeah, that’s a possibility too. But at least, in that case, he doesn’t have a ferry full of civilians to crash into a dock. It’s not perfect, but it’s the ideal plan.”

  “Well, that’s how I’ll assist then,” I said. “While you and Agent Castillo are on the ferries, I’ll infiltrate the main base. That way, we’ll all strike at the same time, and there won’t be a chance for anyone to warn anyone else.”

  “Not happening,” Hills said flatly. “Did you already forget what the doc said? No stressful situations. From what I gathered from Illias, this is a huge family-run organization. The base is bound to be crawling with suspects, not to mention animals. It’s probably the most stressful part of the entire mission.”

  “You can’t just-” I started to protest, angry that Hills, who had no seniority over me, was trying to tell me what to do.

  “I’m not saying no,” he interrupted. “I’m just saying it would be better for you to take over handling one of the ferries. As long as we have the element of surprise, it shouldn’t go as disastrously as yesterday. Plus, you’ll have an entire team of special officers backing you up. Just don’t get punched again.”

  I felt my face growing red with shame at how angry I’d gotten. Hills wasn’t looking down on me or trying to push me around. He was just trying to make sure I didn’t push myself too hard.

  “Okay. I’m going to call Nelson and let him know what’s going on,” Hills said as he slipped his phone out of his pocket. He stood and walked a few steps away to speak on the phone.

  While I waited for Hills to make the call, I tapped my foot on the floor nervously, scared that Nelson would reject my proposal.

  “Well, he said okay,” Hills said when he returned, much faster than I’d expected him to.

  “Really?” I asked. It surprised me that Nelson would agree so readily. “That’s kind of weird, isn’t it? I was sure I’d have to convince him to let me work. He was really okay with it?”

  “Everyone in this agency is weird,” Hills muttered with a snort, and I found myself agreeing with the sentiment. The people working at the Las Vegas branch of MBLIS were all a little unusual, now that I thought about it. Even Hills and I were unusual if I were completely honest. It was nice, though, having such a unique office culture.

  “Anyway, Nelson thinks it’d be best if you took over the ferry I was supposed to cover,” Hills said. “Agent Castillo’s already on her way over here and is probably familiarizing herself with the aspects of the mission that apply to her. It’d be confusing to change plans on her so suddenly and with so little warning. So, her part of the mission will remain the same. You’ll take over the ferry that I was supposed to infiltrate, and while you’re doing that, I’ll go after Lucas at the base.”

  “That sounds fine to me,” I said.

  “Good,” Hills said.

  I looked out over the terrace we were sitting on. Athens really was beautiful, and past the beautiful architecture of the downtown buildings, I could just barely make out the ocean in the distance. The ferry I needed to infiltrate was located in a city called Symi. It was an hour away by flight, and I wondered if it would be as beautiful as Athens.

  “Are you planning on doing any sightseeing?” I asked Hills. “Our mission isn’t until tomorrow, and it’s only two in the afternoon. There’s time.”

  “I told you, this isn’t a vacation,” Hills said, although he sounded distracted, as though he was thinking about something else.

  “You know, you don’t have to be such a stick in the mud,” I said, turning away from the stunning view to look at him. “I know that’s your modus operandi, to walk around like you hate everything, but it won’t hurt you to just-ow!” I yelled as Hills flicked a straw at me. It didn’t actually hurt, but the surprise has caused me to cry out in shock.

  “Okay, well, I’m going to go have a walk around the city, maybe pick up a few souvenirs,” I said, standing up and pushing my chair neatly into the table. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel in a few hours.”

  With that, I left the small restaurant and made my way down the narrow street, taking in all the sights and sounds of Athens. I was happy to be able to get away from the case even for just a little while to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the beautiful city.

  As I walked, I could see people going about their normal lives, as well as touris
ts running around and snapping pictures of everything they saw. I loved my job, but sometimes I needed a moment to just breathe. I couldn’t understand how Hills could be so single-minded all the time. It seemed like he just wanted to get the mission done and go home. How could he fly halfway across the globe and not want to soak in as much as he could while he was here? Well, I wasn’t going to let his dull attitude bother me. I’d enjoy the city on my own.

  28

  Miranda

  Even though I’d only been on the plane for fifteen hours, thanks to the time difference between Las Vegas and Greece, it was already ten in the morning by the time I got to Lavrio, a beautiful coastal fishing town in Southern Greece.

  October in Nevada was fairly chilly, so I’d boarded the plane wearing a sweater and comfortable boots. Upon leaving the plane, however, I quickly found myself stripping my outermost layers as the Mediterranean heat bore down on me. Fortunately, I still had a few hours before the ferry I needed to infiltrate was set to depart, so I had time to run to the hotel room MBLIS had arranged for me in order to change. I switched my phone off airplane mode and was suddenly hit with a barrage of texts and calls, mostly from Nelson. I felt my heart race as I immediately assumed the worst, thinking that something had gone wrong with the mission or that someone had gotten hurt.

  I relaxed after I actually read the text messages, though, which were just to inform me that there had been a slight change in plan and that Junior would be joining the mission now. At least that meant the kid was okay, after all.

  I called Nelson to let him know that I’d landed and had gotten the messages, and he filled me in with greater detail, letting me know that Junior would now be taking over Charlie’s part of the mission while Charlie took on the garage to find Lucas. My initial reaction was disappointment because this basically meant that my own part of the mission would now be cut in half. Although that did also mean that I would finish twice as quickly, and, always one to look on the bright side, I chose to focus on this. After ending the call with Nelson, I crammed my sweater into my duffel bag with the rest of my clothes and slung it over my shoulder, making my way out of the airport.